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Family Tree    by Barbara Delinsky Amazon.com order for
Family Tree
by Barbara Delinsky
Order:  USA  Can
Doubleday, 2007 (2007)
Hardcover, CD, e-Book

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* *   Reviewed by Lori Waddington

What is a happily married white couple supposed to do when their baby is born with distinct African American features? Hugh Clarke is from a very well-to-do white bread family, and his wife Dana was raised by her grandmother, as her mother died when she was five and she never knew her father.

Hugh's family is convinced that Dana had an affair, and even though Hugh doesn't believe it, the pressure becomes so great that he persuades Dana to take a DNA test. As a result, their marriage is put to the test - even more so when Hugh demands that Dana find her biological father, as he is convinced that baby Lizzie's African American features must stem from Dana's side of the family.

As Dana begins her search for her father, Hugh must deal with his anger towards his own family. Hugh's father wants nothing to do with the baby and has always been convinced that Dana was never good enough for his son. As the novel progresses, both Dana and Hugh attempt to deal with the prejudices aimed at their family, and they both unearth surprising secrets regarding their pasts.

While Family Tree is a page-turner with an unusual premise, Barbara Delinsky's writing seems stilted at times - the strain between Dana and Hugh never really rings true, and many subplots pull attention from the main story.

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